Gravity catch for hinged guard fences

ABSTRACT

A guard fence comprising two fence portions hinged together by tie-pieces which allow the fence portions both to pivot and move in translation relative to one another. At least one catch member is pivotably mounted about a fixed shaft on one of the fence portions and the catch member is of the gravity type and includes a working part arranged to cooperatively engage the other of the fence portions to hold the same and prevent relative pivotable and translatory movement of the fence portions.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,926,412

Beretta 1 Dec. 16, 1975 GRAVITY CATCH FOR HINGED GUARD 1,151,774 8/1915 Foster 292/136 FENCES 1,432,190 10/1922 Krueger 5/100 2,357,218 8/1944 Merrett 5/100 [75] Inventor: Oscar Beretta, Neullly-surseine, 3,499,674 2/1927 Nicolai 292/130 France [73] Assignee: Technifil S.A., Neuilly-sur-Seine, Primary ExaminerPaul R. G l am France Assistant ExaminerDoris L. Troutman [22] Filed p 26 1974 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Waters, Schwartz & Nissen [21] Appl. No.: 509,660

[57] ABSTRACT Related US. Application Data [63] continuatiomimpan of Ser NO 438 Feb 4 A guard fence comprising two fence portions hinged 1974 abandoned together by tie-pieces which allow the fence portions both to pivot and move in translation relative to one 52 US. Cl. 2 46 another At least one Catch member is pivotably E Int BZIF 2% mounted about a fixed shaft on one of the fence por- [58] Field of 49/279 tions and the catch member is of the gravity type and 49/394 5/1OO 6 403/49 includes a working part arranged to cooperatively en- 5 /21 gage the other of the fence portions to hold the same and prevent relative pivotable and translatory move- [56] References Cited ment of the fence portions.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 423,339 7/1885 Kilborn 5/100 US. Patant Dec. 16,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,926,412

US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet2of2 3,926,412

GRAVITY CATCH FOR HINGED GUARD FENCES The present invention relates to guard fences and is a continuation-in-part application to my co-pending application Ser. No. 438,992 filed Feb. 4, 1974 now abandoned and entitled Guard Fences".

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Guard fences are known which comprise two fence portions connected together by means of tie-pieces which allow the fence portions both to pivot and to move in translation relative one to the other.

Fences of this type are generally used on articles made of metal rods welded together, such as containers, hoppers, surrounds for pallets etc. These tie-pieces enable one of the fences to be prevented from moving relative to the other when it is lifted and dropped back behind fixed catches.

To open the fence, one portion is therefore first of all raised, then disengaged from the catches and finally pivoted about a generally horizontal axis.

Since the articles made from metal rods in question are intended for transportation, storage and for the display of goods, they frequently suffer impacts the effect of which may be to raise the said one fence portion accidentally and thus allow it to open at the wrong time when this is undesirable.

It is to prevent accidents of this type that positive locking members are generally provided, these needing to be easy to operate while still positively preventing any accidental opening.

Such locking members are, however, relatively complex and expensive to make due to the fact that they are formed from metal rods which have been folded over a number of times and which slide in guides which have themselves been folded and welded.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to enable such locking members to be simplified while still retaining their capabilities. Other objects of advantage will become apparent from the specification which is to follow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in a device for preventing the movement of two guard fence portions which are hinged together by oblong tie-pieces which allow the fence portions both to pivot and to move in translation relative one to the other, said device comprising at least one catch member pivotable about a fixed shaft secured to one of said fence portions and parallel to their pivot axis, said catch member having a working part arranged to co-operate with the other one of said fence portions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show certain embodiments thereof, purely by way of non-limiting example, and in which:

FIG. l is a partial view of a guard fence in the form of a pallet surround which is made from metal rods and is fitted with an immobilising device according to the invention, this being shown in the active position,

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing how the catch is operated to move it to its withdrawn position, the upper fence being shown in the raised position,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of catch according to the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the catch accord ing to the invention fitted to a container having hinged fence portions.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is seen a pallet A of any known type on which is provided a surround forming a guard fence of which only a part of the front face has been shown here.

The guard fence is made, in a manner known per se, from welded metal rods and incorporates a lower fence portion 1 formed by joining together two horizontal rods 11 and 12 which are connected by vertical lengths 13 and strengtheners 14.

To this lower portion 1 is hinged an upper fence portion 2 formed by horizontal rods 21 and 22 connected by vertical rods 23.

As is known, the fence portions 1 and 2 are connected by tie-pieces 3 each formed by a plate folded into an oblong shape.

In the embodiment shown, the tie-pieces 3 are not completely closed but have an opening 30 by means of which it is possible to take the upper portion 2 completely off by passing rod 11 through opening 3a.

Given that the opening 3a exists, the tie-pieces can be fitted over both the rods 21 and 22 and they are held in place by a nut 4 and bolt which prevent the tie-pieces 3 from becoming detached.

In accordance with the invention, a horizontal rod 5 is welded to two vertical rods 13 in the lower portion 1 and forms the pivot shaft for a catch 6 which is fitted onto this rod 5.

The catch proper 6 is provided with an extension 7 at the bottom which lowers its centre of gravity and thus allows the catch to be permanently biassed towards the vertical position shown in FIG. 1, which is its active position, i.e. where upper portion 2 is held fast to lower portion 1.

The working part 8 of the catch is concave and partly encloses rod 21 when panel 2 is in the closed position.

The extension 7 is situated on the inside of upper portion 2 so that it is able to abut on the inside against the horizontal rod 12, which restricts the freedom of the catch 6 to pivot.

At the top the catch 6 has a sloping ramp 9 with which rod 21 in upper portion 2 is able to co-operate when this portion is lowered into the closed position. When this happens, rod 21, meeting the ramp 9, forces the catch 6 to pivot about its shaft 5 in order to allow the portion 2 to take up its closed position. As soon as the portion 2 has reached this position catch 6 comes into place automatically, due to the fact that it is returned by the weight of the extension 7 to the position shown in FIG. 1.

It can thus be seen that in the closed position (FIG. 1) the catch 6 totally opposes the raising of the fence portion 2 and occupies a stable position.

To raise the portion 2 so as to disengage it from the catches either with the object of swinging it forward or taking it completely off, the catch 6 is caused to pivot by pushing the lever 7 in the way shown in FIG. 2 so that the working part 8 withdraws and releases rod 21:

As soon as action ceases on the extension 7, the catch 6 returns to its original position by virtue of its weight, as shown in FIG. 1.

The catch just described is mounted on the shaft secured to the lower fence portion 1, while the working part 8 of the catch is intended to co-opcrate with the upper fence portion 2.

Because of this, the working part 8 of the catch is situated at the top of it, and so that the centre of gravity is situated below the pivot shaft 5 the extension 7 is provided at the bottom which is acted on to release the catch.

The embodiment in FIGS. 3 and 4 enables the catch to be simplified and made very economical.

Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the catch is fitted to rod 22 in the upper fence portion 2 and its working part 33 is intended to co-operate with rod 11 in the lower fence portion of the container The catch in question has an upper part which is pierced by a hole 31 situated slightly below the top of part 30, which latter has an extension which terminates in the working part proper 33 of the catch.

The position of hole 31 is so calculated that the centre of gravity of the catch is situated below the axis of the hole, with the result that, in the normal position, the catch is permanently biassed towards its vertical position as shown in FIG. 4, and it can be seen that in this position the working part 33 is situated underneath rod 1 1 thus making it impossible to raise fence portion 2 in relation to fence portion 1.

To raise fence portion 2, when opening the gate of the container for instance, the top of part 30, which forms a sort of shoe, is acted on, thus causing the catch as a whole to pivot about rod 22, which disengages the working part 33 from rod 11.

When action on the catch ceases, it drops back automatically to the vertical position so that, when the container is closed, i.e. when fence portion 2 is lowered back onto fence portion 1, the catch moves aside of itself due to the fact that the lower portion 34 of the working part 33 of the catch forms a ramp in the same way as does ramp 9 described above.

The invention is not limited simply to the embodiments described and shown but on the contrary covers all modifications thereof, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A guard fence construction comprising upper and lower fence portions, tie piece means hingeably connecting said fence portions together for relative pivotable and translating movement while allowing complete separation of the fence portions, at least one catch member securely connected to one of said fence portions and pivotable relative thereto about a horizontal axis for selectively locking said fence portions both against relative pivotable and translatory movement, said catch member having a center of gravity disposed below the horizontal pivot axis thereof so that the catch member is urged to an active position under the effect of gravity, said catch member including a working part which in said active position engages the other of said fence portions to hold the same and prevent relative pivotable and translatory movement of said fence portions, said working part of the catch member having an outer sloping ramp portion positioned for engaging said other of the fence portions when said fence portions are moved in translation towards one another for engagement to pivot said catch member and allow such engagement whereafter the catch member is free to pivot under the effect of gravity such that said working part lockably engages said other fence portion, said working part of the catch member including a concave portion which in said active position at least partly encloses said other of said fence portions and prevents relative displacement of the fence portions in a direction for separation thereof, and an extension which forms a lever which is operable to move said catch member to a withdrawn inoperative position.

2. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein said catch member is pivoted on the lower one of said fence portions at a point situated above its center of gravity, said working part co-operating with the upper one of said fence portions.

3. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein at least part of said extension is situated on the inside of said other fence portion and is able to abut against a portion of the latter to restrict the pivoting movement of said catch member.

4. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein said fence portions are made from welded metal rods, and said catch member is apertured for engagement by a rod which is welded to one of said fence portions and forms said pivot shaft for said catch member.

5. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein said working part of said catch member is provided in the lower part of said extension, and wherein said catch member is pivoted on said upper fence portion to cooperate with said lower fence portion in the working position of said catch member. 

1. A guard fence construction comprising upper and lower fence portions, tie piece means hingeably connecting said fence portions together for relative pivotable and translating movement while allowing complete separation of the fence portions, at least one catch member securely connected to one of said fence portions and pivotable relative thereto about a horizontal axis for selectively locking said fence portions both against relative pivotable and translatory movement, said catch member having a center of gravity disposed below the horizontal pivot axis thereof so that the catch member is urged to an active position under the effect of gravity, said catch member including a working part which in said active position engages the other of said fence portions to hold the same and prevent relative pivotable and translatory movement of said fence portions, said working part of the catch member having an outer sloping ramp portion positioned for engaging said other of the fence portions when said fence portions are moved in translation towards one another for engagement to pivot said catch member and allow such engagement whereafter the catch member is free to pivot under the effect of gravity such that said working part lockably engages said other fence portion, said working part of the catch member including a concave portion which in said active position at least partly encloses said other of said fence portions and prevents relative displacement of the fence portions in a direction for separation thereof, and an extension which forms a lever which is operable to move said catch member to a withdrawn inoperative position.
 2. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein said catch member is pivoted on the lower one of said fence portions at a point situated above its center of gravity, said working part co-operating with the upper one of said fence portions.
 3. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein at least part of said extension is situated on the inside of said other fence portion and is able to abut against a portion of the latter to restrict the pivoting movement of said catch member.
 4. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein said fence portions are made from welded metal rods, and said catch member is apertured for engagement by a rod which is welded to one of said fence portions and forms said pivot shaft for said catch member.
 5. A guard fence according to claim 1, wherein said working part of said catch member is provided in the lower part of said extension, and wherein said catch member is pivoted on said upper fence portion to co-operate with said lower fence portion in the working position of said catch member. 